What is Love?
by Supreme Distraction
Summary: What she wanted was the woman she had fallen for; the woman who rendered her breathless and made her feel safe. Who kissed her and made her laugh and made her heart warm with affection. She just wanted Anko to be there. Hence, this—this fight—was stupid.
1. Chapter 1

The last of the _Loss and Gain _series_. _Enjoy and don't forget to review.

Note: **Benevolence**, you are a HYPOCRITE. You keep _harassing_ me to update—well here are two!! Where the Hell is your update?!?! –sigh- Oh, and, thanks for BETAing this. Anywho… Onward!

"Speech"

_/Flash back/_

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; its characters, or settings. I merely manipulate said elements for my own entertainment as well as the enjoyment of others. This is the only place you'll see this thing so please remember it.

"**I give you my love, but you don't care.**

**What is right? What is wrong?**

**Give me your side…"**

_What is Love?_—Haddaway

**--What is Love?--**

Eyes: deceptively wide for an almost innocent look; they darkened and narrowed with desire.

Lips: full and sensuous. Just _begging_ to be kissed; with a tendency of curving into a smirk.

Fingers: slim and knowing; able to heat flesh with a mere brush. They played the body like a finely tuned instrument.

Hair: waves of purple that ran through your fingers like silk. She had grown it out at Kurenai's insistence.

And the body of a goddess—slim, toned, and wrapped in smooth, pale flesh.

How long had it been since Anko, owner of the aforementioned features, had been here—been home?

Kurenai shut crimson eyes, drawing in a shaky breath.

This was stupid.

Anko had been a part of the ANBU for a month now because, no matter how much she loved Kurenai, her first and foremost priority was to bring about the end of her former mentor—Orochimaru.

Of course, it was against the rules for the woman to share the fact that she was part of the Hokage's elite group of assassins, but she trusted Kurenai. So the older woman was left to sit and worry, regardless of how she reminded herself not to.

Times were tough; a slew of rogue ninjas had arose and the forest that usually provided the village with some seclusion from the outside world had become a ring of danger, forcing civilians to remain within its borders. On top of it all Orochimaru's new village, Otogakure, was prospering—ninja that were loyal to the man kept up a steady stream of crimes that forced the Hokage to send ANBU out to assist other villages.

Despite the fact that she knew her lover was out there fighting for the good of the village, the rookie Jounin couldn't shake the feeling of neglect that rose every time the purplette left. She knew it was selfish, but… Anko was never there and the scant moments she was, she didn't have time to do more than give Kurenai a quick squeeze before pulling her mask back into place and blazing off again.

It wasn't that she wanted physical attention—ok, she did (they hadn't had sex in quite a while now…), but that wasn't all of it. What she wanted was the woman she had fallen for; the woman who rendered her breathless and made her feel safe. Who kissed her and made her laugh and made her heart warm with affection.

She just wanted Anko to be there.

Hence, this—this fight—was stupid. So very stupid.

It had started a day ago and, still, Kurenai felt terrible—as though part of her was missing.

_/"I'm home." The purplette's voice was dull, muffled behind the pale mask (the porcelain molded into the regal visage of a wolf) she wore._

_As always, Kurenai was happy to see her, embracing her lover and welcoming her warmly._

_Anko didn't even seem to register her presence; she stalked past Kurenai and collapsed into a chair, setting the mask on the table and dragging a hand through her hair._

_The brunette bit her lip. "What's wrong?"_

_That brought a sigh. "The mission didn't go too well… One of the guys on my team died, four were critically injured, and Orochimaru got away. " _

_She slammed her fist down on the table with a frustrated sound and Kurenai came to her, fully intending to be comforting as she embraced the younger female._

_It was a shock when Anko pulled away from her._

"_Sorry, Kure, I'm not in the mood."_

_Then, she was gone, disappearing into their bedroom._

_The rookie Jounin knew that her lover was upset—with good reason—so, she gave her space. It was hours before she saw Anko again, and it was only because she was retiring to bed._

_The purplette was facing the wall opposite the doorway, —still dressed in the normal ANBU manner: black and gray armor and arm guard, minus the black cloak— side rising and falling with each breath. She wasn't asleep however; her dark eyes were glazed as they stared at nothing in particular._

"… _Hey."_

_Those eyes, cold and uninterested, flicked to her. "What?"_

_Ugh. If she kept biting her lip, she was going to break the skin._

"_Are you ok? If you want to talk about it, I'm—"_

"_I'm fine, Kurenai. Please, just leave me alone."_

_Ok. The woman had been gone for almost two weeks and now she was acting as though she wanted nothing to do with her. Needless to say, Kurenai's temper flared._

"_Fine," she snapped, tone more hurt than angry. /_

That was how she had ended up here, with Tsunade in the village's hospital. Her tears had swayed the busty blonde woman into allowing her to stay the night on a couch in the office that the Hokage herself resided in more often than she did her own home.

Tsunade had recaptured Kakashi; the silver-haired ninja was happy to have someone to talk to. He had been confined to a bed, his room small and neat. On the nightstand, easily within his reach, was a pile of the man's literature collection; _Icha Icha Paradise_, what else?

"How are things?" the man was asking, dark eye fixed on Kurenai.

She sighed. "Could be better. But that's life, right?"

His expression made it clear he didn't fall for the laugh she forced out. "Trouble with Anko?"

Curse the "copycat ninja" for being so perceptive! He has been the first in the village to guess about the Jounins' relationship.

"Yeah… she's just so cold, Kakashi."

"Well, considering her job, she's _encouraged _to be cold. You could even say she's expected to be." She could tell the man was smiling behind the blue cloth over his mouth and nose.

She shrugged helplessly. "I know, but_—_"Gods, she hated how needy she sounded.

"But she just doesn't seem like herself," the senior ninja completed.

Kurenai was, needless to say, surprised. It must have shown on her face because Kakashi chuckled. "I was a part of the ANBU too, you know. And I've seen it happen to a few of my friends. We as 'normal' ninja aren't suppose to know who hides behind which mask, but it happens. And when it does… well, you're experiencing it now. Anyone who is part of the ANBU is guaranteed to withdraw from the world; years of secrecy—forced or otherwise—and mistrust of the world will do that to you."

Crimson orbs squeezed shut and the woman felt the consoling weight of a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure the two of you will be fine," Kakashi said softly. "You love each other, never forget that."

She couldn't resist leaning forward and hugging the man, drawing a pained grunt ("Oh, sorry!") from him as she accidentally hit a rib that hadn't quite healed yet. "Thank you, Kakashi. I'm going home now."

The copycat ninja stared after the Jounin for some time before Tsunade entered the room.

"Kurenai left. She looked happier," the blonde observed, remaining in the doorway. "And you'll be able to leave soon as well."

Kakashi nodded, "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

She snorted. "Oh, now you're being amicable? I had to have several ANBU in here to make sure you stayed put! Nice try, Hatake, what do you want?"

--x--

The rookie Jounin's steps were slow as she walked home, her mind elsewhere. Though Kakashi's words comforted her, doubt settled like a pit in her stomach. _What if she isn't home? I haven't seen her in a day so she has probably been called off somewhere again._

Taking a right, the female followed the dirt path to Anko's apartment building (they had moved in together); went up four flights of stairs and down a narrow hallway.

No one answered when she tried the knocker, so the woman closed her eyes, executed a few hand-signs and was inside a second later, a cloud of smoke announcing her arrival.

_Gone. _"Of course."

"'Of course' what?" A voice, husky with sleep, asked.

Kurenai jumped as Anko emerged from their bedroom, rubbing sleep from her eyes. She was still in her uniform, not a hair out of place.

And, for the life of her, the crimson-eyed Jounin had no idea what to say.

She was saved by Anko. "Listen, Kurenai, I'm sorry about yesterday. I was kind of upset about what happened with Orochimaru, but I had no right to take it out on you."

Part of her wanted to end this right here—to hug Anko, accept her apology and move on.

But a bigger part of her hung on to what Kakashi had said. Who knew when Anko would come home tense, upset, and cold again? Who knew when Anko would become something other than the woman she had fallen for?

She needed to end this.

But how?

Kurenai took a deep breath. "Anko—"

The younger woman moved forward and hugged her senior, "I knew you'd understand, Kure. Let's forget anything ever happened and—"

"ANKO."

She paused midsentence, making eye contact with her lover. Chocolate toned orbs still held a glazed, apathetic look that made Kurenai's heart sink.

"Listen, Anko. I really think that maybe you should take some time off."—she took another breath—"Or maybe just leave the ANBU altogether. I know it's a huge honour, but—"

"'Leave'?" Her tone was incredulous, as though Kurenai had just suggested that she tear off her own arm. "Kurenai, this is the only way I can be certain that I'll at least _see _Orochimaru die—"

"And maybe die yourself!"

"Psh. I'll be fine! I always come back."

"And what about the one time you don't, _hmm_? Then what am I suppose to do?"

Cutting each other off—since when did they do that? Or even argue for that matter?

Their voices were rising, the tension between the two threatening to snap.

"Do you think I can't handle myself?"

She should have known by Anko's stance and the narrowing of dark eyes that the younger Jounin was about to say something cruel. She should have known that now was the time to allow the woman to cool off. As it was, she just snapped, "No. I just think you believing that you're indestructible is foolish. Ninja who are better than you have been killed by Orochimaru—"

"I'm not Asuma, Kurenai." Her tone was like ice, her words sharp as a katana.

And the look of hurt on her lover's face made her regret her words instantly.

When she reached out, Kurenai flinched away, her expression hardening into the kind of stoniness only years of being a ninja could teach. "How… how could you?"

Crimson and chocolate met for all of three seconds before an alarm wailed, indicating that the members of the ANBU were needed.

Reflexively, Anko pulled her mask from where it had been clipped to her belt and was already half-covering her face. "Kure—"

"Just go."

The older woman's tone alone was enough to propel her towards the door.

**A month later…**

It wasn't that Kurenai didn't care that Anko was still missing.

She did.

It was just… She had other things to do.

If Anko was going to be a cold-hearted bitch, fine. She was a-ok on her own and planned to keep it that way.

At first, thoughts of the purplette made her heart skip a beat yet, at the same time, her stomach flip-flopped uncomfortably as did the mention of her name. Now, the sensations had dulled and, whenever thoughts or memories arose, the warmth that she had once felt had dyed to a mere spark.

Was she falling _out _of love with the special Jounin?

Was that even possible?

She had been so certain the night after the purplette had made love to her that she was in love. Had that been a mistake in her judgment? Had she rushed into things simply because of physical attraction?

"Hinata, she's close; be careful!"

Kurenai smiled from her perch in the tree tops. It was a sultry summer day and the woman had decided to train her students.

What better way to learn than to do?

She leaped forward just as Kiba came barreling towards her, landing in a tree nearby; using the trajectory from her leap, she swung from the branches above and flipped, evading a punch-combo from Shino. Mid-twist, she kicked at the violet-beige blur that was Hinata, effectively cutting off her blow.

Kurenai's hands came together, but before she could make any hand signs, the shy girl was attacking again, Byakugan in full effect.

_She's gotten faster._

It took all of Kurenai's concentration to evade the attacks of her pupils. The result was a pleasant sort of calm within her that totally disregarded the sweat that caused her dark hair to stick to her face and the way her breath came out in short bursts.

Her students were in worse condition despite the fact that it was three on one in their favor.

Drawing from the pouch on her thigh a shuriken, she went on the offensive.

After almost half an hour of non-stop movement, Kiba managed to snag Kurenai; his fist had been only half curled so that his sharp nails grazed the woman's cheek and split the flesh open.

Instantly, everyone went still.

Dark, iris-less eyes widened. "Sorry, Kurenai-sensei! I didn't mean to—"

She laughed—a light, carefree sound—and wiped off the warm fluid that ran down her face with the back of her hand. "Relax, Kiba. That was a good hit. You're all getting better." She looked at him, "You've gotten stronger and a bit better at thinking before you move."

He grinned.

"You've gotten faster, Shino."

The boy nodded, expressionless.

"And you, Hinata—" The girl flushed and looked down at her feet. "—Have you been working with your Byakugan?" When she received a nod, the older woman smiled widely. "It shows! Not only are you getting faster—your perception is better. I'm very proud of you all.

At this point, the Jounin's students were covered in sweat and muck. No one other than Kurenai, however, had sustained any cuts.

"How about we go back and get some food? On me, of course."

Moments later, they had all cleaned up and were seated in _Ichiraku Ramen_; Kiba slurping down noodles as quickly as he could while Hinata and Shino ate at a safer pace. It wasn't very busy, surprisingly enough, so all four patrons could sit at the bar.

Kurenai herself merely ordered water and sipped it gratefully as she watched her students laugh (in Shino's case, it was more of a barely audible chuckle) easily together.

_/Anko was practically howling with laughter, clutching her sides even as her lover glared. "C'mon, Kure, you can't say you didn't find that funny!"_

"_Actually, I can. You just dismantled that entire section of my classroom!"_

"_Ah, speaking of which, we might want to get out of here before Tsu—"_

"_ANKO MITARASHI!!" /_

She shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts; a smile curved her lips. _They've really come far…_

From outside came the _'tak, tak' _of geta sandals as they crossed over a hard surface, followed by excited voices.

"The ANBU!" someone yelled. "They're back!"

_Anko! _The thought cameunbidden and Kurenai's traitorous heart sped up. She forced herself to remain seated, however.

Kami, this was confusing.

Did she care about Anko or not? Her heart and her mind disagreed completely, the former wanting nothing but the Jounin and the latter wanting to avoid pain at any costs.

With Anko came hurtful words and cold gazes, sprinkled with the occasional acknowledgement that she existed and maybe even mattered.

Without Anko, there was loneliness, yes, but she felt lonely even _with _her. Without having someone that close to her, life would be made that much simpler. And there was always the peace of mind that came with knowing she didn't really _need _the younger Jounin.

_/"I love you, Anko."_

_The smile she received was warm, loving._

"_I love you too, Kure-chan. Let me show you how much, hnn?"_

_She leaned in, lips pressing to the older Jounin's. /_

Or did she?

Kurenai was beginning to understand what love-struck teens meant when they said they couldn't get their crushes out of their minds; unless she was actively a part of something that required concentration, her thoughts would wander back to the purplette. Even when she did manage to pull her mind away for all of five minutes, it would never fail to drift back.

She turned to her students, smiling pleasantly. "Let's go see, shall we?"

Outside, Kohona's main road was surrounded on both sides by villagers, the majority of which who were young children (most likely hoping to catch a glimpse of the powerful people they wished to be like someday) and women around Kurenai's age, awaiting their loved one's return.

The rookie Jounin and her students watched as, suddenly, a group of ninja clad in black (one—the leader—was white), hooded robes and porcelain masks appeared at the entrance of the village and began a calm walk down the dirt road. Their footsteps made no noise and the masked faces stared straight ahead as though oblivious to their onlookers.

There were eight in all, each with a grim, serious air around them—_angels of death, _Kurenai found herself musing—that caused even the youngest of the gathered children to become silent.

Crimson eyes scanned the procession; noticed that one wolf-masked individual was missing. Her heart raced again for an entirely different reason.

Perhaps Anko was just late?

_/"Anko—"_

"_Sorry, Kurenai, I've got to go. Don't want to be late."_

_She snorted, thinking her lover was kidding. Since when did Mitarashi Anko care if she was late for something? The female worked on her own time._

"_C'mon, Anko, I thought we were going to spend some time together."_

"_Sorry…" Then the mask was pulled back into place. /_

That was improbable—being part of the ANBU had changed the woman who couldn't care less about rules and deadlines into someone who followed the 'straight and narrow'; someone who was always punctual and ready for work.

What the Hell?!

"Kurenai-sensei?" It was Hinata. The girl had shaken off her shyness for worry. "Are you all right?"

Right. None of the kids knew Anko was in the ANBU. They did know that she and Kurenai were lovers, however. The trio had faced her nervousness with grins—well, Kiba did. Hinata smiled shyly and Shino quirked his lips—and calmly told her that they were happy as long as she was.

_That _had filled her with relief and happiness—she really should have expected it though. They were all great kids.

Swallowing the unreasonable panic that rose in her throat, Kurenai shook her head. She was proud to say her voice remained steady though she knew her intuitive students could see through the weak smile she gave them. "I'm fine, Hinata. Training is over for today; I'll see you guys tomorrow, ok?"

Without waiting for them to answer, the brunette was running vertically up the side of one of the homes that lined the street, leaping to the next roof once her sandal-clad feet hit a horizontal surface.

She had to find Tsunade.

--**End Chapter--**


	2. Chapter 2

Wowza, I feel loved. O.o Thank you to everyone who reviewed and here's chapter two. Enjoy…

"_**I know what I want:**_

_**Just me and you.**_

_**I can't go on…"**_

_What is Love?—_Haddaway

**--What is Love?--**

The Hokage was seated behind the big mahogany desk in her office, arms crossed over her prodigious chest. Her expression was one of calm even though she flinched slightly upon catching sight of Kurenai hovering in the door way.

"Where's Anko?"

_Leave it to Kurenai to get right to the point, _the older woman mused. She hadn't seen much of the Jounin for the past month and had taken that as a good sign.

"We aren't sure yet. The rest of the group attests to seeing her up until they reached the village's border. I'm having them retrace their steps right now."

That was, at the least, a little comforting.

So they waited.

And waited.

And waited.

… And waited.

At last, a plume of smoke filled the fifth Hokage's office and a white-cloaked ninja appeared, kneeling. "Hokage-sama," the voice was muffled by a bear-shaped porcelain mask,—it was grinning widely, showing off many pointed fangs— but most definitely male. "There's no sign of"—the mask tilted towards Kurenai as he paused—"Our missing ninja."

The Jounin's heart constricted.

"Relax, we're in good company," Tsunade was saying, having noticed the glance. "In any case, I want as many of our units as possible looking out for Anko. She was one of our most valuable warriors."

Had she been able to see the male's face, the blonde was sure his expression would be shocked—had she just divulged one of the identities of the ANBU? His voice was steady, however, "Yes, ma'am… Unfortunately, I do not believe there is anyone available with the way we are spread out at the moment."

"I'll go." Kurenai said immediately.

His voice was incredulous, "_You_?"

She bristled, "And why not?"

Tsunade raised a hand for silence, slipping into the serious, sage-like expression that the villagers (Naruto had started it) called 'Hokage-mode'. "No one is leaving. Kurenai, you're in no condition to go and none of the ANBU will be leaving if there aren't enough to remain here in the village. You forget that times are dangerous."

"Do you think I am incapable of caring for myself?" Kurenai snapped. The irony in the fact that Anko had asked her the same thing weeks ago was not lost to her.

"No. I believe you aren't thinking clearly and will thus do more harm than good."

"But—"

"No buts. You are forbidden from leaving Konoha until further notice."

_Damnit all! How could she do this?! _The fury that burned in crimson eyes was startling, but the blonde didn't flinch. She met Kurenai's gaze calmly until the Jounin nodded slowly and ground out, "Yes, Hokage-sama."

And she was gone.

The ANBU still kneeling on the ground cleared his throat and her attention returned to him. "I want you to keep an eye on her."

"… Yes, ma'am."

--x--

How dumb did Tsunade think she was?

Even if Kurenai didn't _see _anyone watching her, she could _feel _the weight of their gaze; obviously the Hokage expected her to go against her order and had sent an ANBU to prevent that.

So she acted as normal as possible: trained her students and herself, shopped for groceries, cleaned her apartment. She did everything that she would usually do, all the while keeping an eye out for whomever it was that remained vigilant in their observation of her every movement.

It took four days of this for her patience to run out.

"Kiba."

The young man looked up at her, his gaze edging on a glare. They had been sparring one-on-one and she now had him pinned with her foot, leaning over him in a manner he probably perceived as gloating. His gaze strayed a little lower than her face, tanned skin darkening slightly and she was reminded that he had just hit fifteen.

_/"Hey, you know, I like how you look when you're on top." The special Jounin grinned._

_Kurenai felt her face heat. /_

"Hey, my face is up here," she chastised gently.

Now he went brick red and iris-less pupils swept quickly upwards to meet crimson orbs.

"Thank you. Where's Akamaru?"

Kiba uttered a low whistle and, immediately, the little white dog was trotting towards them.

"Someone is following me." Kurenai said, keeping her voice low. The look of protective anger on his face made her smile down at him. "No, not an enemy, but a nuisance nonetheless. Do you think you can find them?"

"Of course," he scoffed. "No one can hide from an Inuzuka."

She lifted her foot and helped him up. "I'll hold you to that."

Akamaru was sitting at his owner's feet now, wagging his tail as he titled his head questioningly. When Kiba made a series of grunts deep in his throat, the little dog sped off again.

The minutes dragged by until, suddenly, a yelp came from the direction a dozen or so yards to the left of the cluster of trees Akamaru had disappeared into.

Kiba was off at a dead run, Kurenai following closely.

Though the teen bulldozed through the underbrush in his haste to join his canine companion, Kurenai was a dark blur amongst the upper branches, preferring to stick to stealth just in case. The sudden clearing in the trees caused Kurenai to stop, kunai sliding into the grooves between her fingers, and Kiba to let loose a ferocious growl; a cloak-less ANBU was wrestling with Akamaru.

Upon hearing the Inuzuka, the masked ninja threw the canine in the direction of the sound and clasped his hands together, apparently going to make some hand signs. They were so focused on the eminent threat that two of the five kunai Kurenai flung made their mark, pinning the ninja to a tree.

She recognized the mask; had the man's hands pinned with four more kunai within moments.

"Let me go."

The Jounin snorted and Kiba smirked, holding a growling Akamaru in his arms.

"I don't think so. Who sent you, the Hokage?"

"'The Hokage'?" Kiba echoed. "Why would she send an ANBU after you?"

"Kurenai Yuuhi is to remain in the village," their captive deadpanned. He was furious at being captured by a mere woman and a child, but refused to show it. "The Hokage wanted to ensure that she did so."

Without another word, Kurenai turned on her heel and leaped, landing once again in the upper branches of the surrounding foliage. "Come, Kiba. I'm going to need your help again."

They left the ANBU where he was.

"Are we going to get in trouble for that?" Kiba asked, gesturing behind him as he kept pace with his teacher.

_We_. Kurenai smiled, her heart warming, "Don't worry."

They reached Kurenai's apartment in record timing, the older woman not pausing to open the door and choosing instead to kick it down. She stepped over the slab of wood as it fell into the darkness of her home and immediately disappeared into what Kiba assumed was her bedroom.

He stood where she had left him, thoroughly confused as he shifted his weight nervously from one foot to the other.

When she reemerged, she was holding a knapsack and her headband was off. He quirked a questioning eyebrow, "You're leaving?"

"Yes and I need to leave quickly. I'm going to look for Anko. I need you to get the others and keep Tsunade-sama from finding out for as long as you can."

"The others? You mean Hinata and Shino?"

She stalked passed him and the sound of the fridge opening was heard. "Yes. There's no telling where that woman has gotten off to or what kind of trouble she's in now." She rounded the corner, crimson eyes meeting Kiba's. "I'd owe you forever."

At that, the tan youth chuckled. "If anything, Kurenai-sensei, it's me who owes you. Go ahead, I'll do my best."

The hug that she swept him into nearly broke a rib; the smell of jasmine enveloped him for a brief moment before she was gone, her scent lingering for seconds after.

"Well…" Kiba muttered, "How does one fool a Hokage?"

**The next afternoon…**

"H-Hokage-sama."

The blonde pressed her fingers to her temples, rubbing in small circles. For the past five hours (from morning to now—noon), two of the three members of Team 8 had been pestering her; coming into her office to ask dumb, random questions in Inuzuka Kiba's case and coming into her office to ask questions about ancient strategies and Jutsus that Tsunade herself really didn't care about in Aburame Shino's case.

It would seem shy, quiet Hyuuga Hinata was of no exception seeing as she was poking her head through the open doorway.

She let out a slow breath. _Where the Hell is Shizune when you need her? After all the time it took to persuade her to take a vacation, I need that damn girl more than ever! Oh, the irony…_

"What is it, Hinata?"

"Umm…" the girl was beet red and the doctor-ish part of the older woman wondered if that was a healthy tone. "You've b-been working so hard, Hokage-sama. Would you l-like to take a break? I brought you lunch…"

_Lunch?_ The blonde perked up considerably and gestured for the younger woman to come forward. Upon closer inspection, the tray in her hands housed a steaming bowl of ramen and a bottle of saké, causing the Hokage to grin openly. "How nice of you, Hinata."

Setting the tray down, Hinata surprised her superior by taking a seat in one of the wooden chairs in front of her desk.

_/"She loves booze," Kiba assured her. "And Shizune isn't here—it's perfect! Just get her drunk and she'll be out of our hair for hours."/_

The shy brunette was met with a sharp amber stare. "Ok, what's going on?"

"W-what?"

Outside, on either side of the doorway, Kiba and Shino shared a glance: _The jig is up!_

"You kids are up to something—I can feel it. I can believe Kiba, and _maybe _Shino, but you, Hinata? Whatever those two are dragging you into—" Hinata squealed reflexively as the super-strong blonde leaned over the desk and clutched her shoulders.

"Hey, what's going on!?" Kiba demanded, barging into the room. Judging by the speed with which he had responded to Hinata's cry, he had to have been…

… _Waiting outside my door._

The fifth Hokage released the brunette and turned to pin Kiba with an intense glare that she usually reserved for pervs like Jiraiya. The teen winced.

_Well, Kurenai-sensei, I hope you've gotten pretty damn far by now. This is all the time I can give you._

"Tell me what's going on. NOW."

--x--

_Great idea, Kurenai: leave the village without a plan. _If she hadn't been running, Kurenai would have bashed her forehead against something.

Preferably something blunt.

Where in the world was she going to even _begin _her search? Anko could be _anywhere_—kidnapped by Orochimaru's men, captured by the Sand or Sound… maybe she had been killed!

The thought sent a chill down the brunette's spine and she increased her pace, the knapsack she held by her side brushing against her with each step.

_Either way, this is way too dangerous for a lone Jounin. But I can't let that discourage me._

She crossed from hard-packed earth to lush grassland—a sea of green that reached up to her thighs. If intel was correct, Otogakure would be a few miles ahead.

The woman sighed. _Anko…_

Was this love? This drive—this _need_—to find the purplette? Part of her knew that she would receive no rest until Anko was safe and sound in her arms. But any good friend would feel that way, albeit, they did have sex.

And friends didn't do that.

Still… she couldn't help but doubt. The way Anko had been treating her as opposed to how she _use_ to treat the woman had jammed a wrench into things; her thoughts were tumultuous at best.

_But… what if she left of her own volition? _A little voice whispered. _Goodness knows Anko can't be found when she doesn't want to be. Maybe she was sick of Konoha. Sick of you._

That almost made her falter mid-step.

And what if that _was _the reason? What if—

The special Jounin jumped, flipping forward with all the elegance of a gymnast to avoid something that resembled Senbon Needles as they embedded themselves in the spot her left foot had last been. She was knocked out of the air by the weight of another body and the breath was forced out of her lungs as she impacted with the ground, her face pressed into the grass.

"Who are you?" The voice was a low bass; something about it made Kurenai's stomach sink. "Identify yourself or I'll kill you." Something sharp was pressed against her neck, though it lacked the cold bite of steel.

"I'm a Jounin from Leaf Village."

"Leaf?" the male sounded surprised. "What would a ninja from Konoha be doing all the way out here in such dangerous times?"

When she remained silent, the pressure on her neck was increased.

"… I'm looking for someone."

"You wouldn't happen to be Kurenai, would you?"

Crimson eyes widened, "How did you—"

"Because if you are, I've been caring for a pretty little purplette. She hasn't been fully conscious for more than a few minutes, but when she was, all she did was murmur the name 'Kurenai'."

"You know where Anko is?!"

"'Anko'—is that her name?" the pressure relaxed slightly, but not completely. "She was fighting some of the local 'villains' around here—if I may use that term—and got scratched up pretty badly."

_Local villains? _"There's a village around here?"

"Yes, of course." The pressure withdrew completely and, next thing the woman knew, she was facing a young man. He was taller than her, his silver hair reaching the nape of his neck; two sections were tied by red tube-like ornaments on either side of his face. His eyes were an intense green, underlined with a blood-red that matched the twin dots on his forehead, just above his eyes.

By the looks of it, the weapon he had held to her neck was made of bone.

One of the sleeves of the lilac coloured kimono-like top he was wearing slid down to reveal half of a slender but muscular torso, the rope-like belt that wound around his waist in an inverted bow stopping it from falling to the ground. "I am Kimimaro. My only allegiance is to Orochimaru-sama. Please, follow me."

_Orochimaru!? _Kurenai was on her feet in an instant, sliding easily into a defensive stance. There was no way in Hell this male—Kimimaro—could be willing to help her, a ninja from the Leaf Village, if he was loyal to Orochimaru. They must have tortured Anko and gained information about her in the process.

"No need to be hasty," Kimimaro said calmly, his back to her. "I have no wish to harm you, unless you give me reason to."

She relaxed, concern for Anko overriding her mistrust.

"Thank you."

He began walking and Kurenai hesitated for only a moment before following.

Kimimaro wasn't much of a talker, the brunette soon found. When she asked him questions, he answered them, yes, but always with one or two words. Anything that had to do with Orochimaru, of course, was under lock and key.

"This way."

The Jounin shook herself out of her reverie—the silver-haired male was holding aside some of the low branches of a Japanese maple, its leaves tinged with red-orange as though in preparation for summer's end.

"Sorry about this." He held up a strip of cloth and Kurenai caught on immediately. She sighed, nodded, giving him permission to move forward and blindfold her.

Once done, there were a quick combination of knocks on what she assumed was the tree's trunk, their pattern too fast for her to follow, then a cool hand gripped her right wrist and tugged her gently forward.

They continued like that for an uncertain amount of time before Kurenai heard a new voice, this one female, "Whaddya think you're doing bringing her here, Kimimaro?"

"This one is with the girl we found a week ago."

"Yeah, and?"

"Please move, Tayuya, or I will move you."

"Damn you and your freakin' sympathy! You're going to get your dumb ass killed." Despite her words, the female must have moved aside because they were moving again.

The warmth of the sun was cut of abruptly and the loosely-packed dirt beneath her feet became solid—he must have taken her into a building. Sure enough, the blindfold was removed, her pupils dilating from the transition between dark and light.

The moment crimson orbs could focus, they did so on Anko; lying on a cot, covered up to her chin with a thick blanket despite the heat. Her skin was several shades paler than usual, but she was alive.

_Alive! _

The room they had put her in was bare of all save the bed, a table and a few chairs around it. In three steps, Kurenai had crossed it and was kneeling at her lover's side. Hesitantly, she reached out and stroked the sleeping Jounin's cheek. "What happened?"

"I've already told you."

"No, I mean: how exactly did she get hurt badly enough to be bedridden for so long?"

She didn't—couldn't—tear her eyes away from Anko, but Kimimaro's tone told her that his expression was saddened. "Actually… from what I've seen, most of the damage is not physical."

She looked up at that. "What do you mean?"

The silver-haired male strode across the room and pulled out one of the chairs, seating himself. He folded his hands in front of his face, looking thoughtful. "Anko, as you call her, has suffered some sort of mental trauma. Maybe it's something she regrets or some form of abuse that scarred her. Either way, she has all but lost the will to live."

**--End Chapter—**

Reviews equal updates. Simple math, my friends.


	3. Chapter 3

"_**We are together—**_

_**I need you forever.**_

_**Is this love?"**_

_What is Love?—_Haddaway

**--What is Love?--**

"It's morning now, love."

_/ "Either way, she has all but lost the will to live."/_

He was kidding. He had to be fucking kidding.

Kurenai bit her lip, almost afraid to touch her lover. She had moved a chair so that she'd be more comfortable in her vigil.

"The kids here are quite different from Team 8. They're nice enough. I've been sparring with them and they're quite powerful."

How long had she been in the village_—_three, four days?

It turned out that this wasn't Otogakure although the Sound Four, as they called themselves, lived here when they weren't wreaking havoc for Orochimaru. When Kurenai had asked why, Kimimaro had shrugged his shoulders.

"Of course I would think so—they saved your life." She smiled sadly. "Which reminds me: when do you plan on waking up? I miss you…"

Footsteps came from outside and Kurenai turned her head to see the foul-mouthed red-head—Tayuya—enter the building. She was scowling, the steaming dish in her hand sending an appetizing aroma towards the Jounin.

"Kimimaro sent dinner for you," she grunted, clearly not pleased with the notion.

Tayuya had a knack for getting into your head, —she was intuitive to the point of it being alarming—using the talent to cripple her victims with words that were sharper than steel. Even so, Kurenai had the feeling that the girl was kind under the armor she had created from biting sarcasm and surliness.

"Thank you, Tayuya." She offered the younger girl a wide smile as she accepted the plate; dark brown eyes widened slightly as though she wasn't expecting any gratitude before the teenager flushed slightly, her exit hasty.

The Jounin turned her attention back to the sleeping purplette, her smile dulling slightly. "I'm happy here, I suppose, but the others are probably worried. Once you wake up we'll leave, ok?"

Red orbs shut tightly to stop the hot tears that welled up from falling—Kami, she hoped Anko could hear her.

She hoped she wasn't just fooling herself.

--x--

To say the Hokage was angry would be an understatement—and a big one at that.

Kiba, who was hard to scare at the worst of times, couldn't help the tremor that ran through him as he watched the super strong woman pace like a caged lioness.

"I don't believe this!"

Shizune had returned yesterday; seated in one of the chairs in front of the Hokage's desk, her dark eyes trailed her superior. Her expression was stern,—which was in no way unusual—her arms were crossed over her chest.

"I told her to stay here! Now look what has happened!!"

She stomped her foot in her anger, raining wood splinters, chunks of plaster, and dust upon the people and objects on the floor below.

"And, on top of it all, you kids HELPED her absence stay unnoticed?!" The members of Team 8 flinched as amber eyes swept over them. "What were you thinking?!"

The bear-masked ANBU was leaning against the wall around a wide bay window that allowed the Hokage to look out at her domain. He was facing the world outside, but Kiba had the distinct impression that the male was smug. The thought made him bristle.

"_Well?_"

"We were thinking that we would help our teacher." To the shock of everyone in the room, it was Hinata who had spoken, her stammer absent. "Kurenai-sensei wanted to find Anko-sama—the woman she loves. Who are you to tell her she can't do that? And who are we to turn away the woman who has been nothing but kind and nurturing to us?"

Silence reigned for all of twenty seconds before Kiba threw back his head and laughed, long and loud, making the room's contents—save the ANBU—give a start.

"Way to go Hinata!" he chortled, wiping a tear from his eye as he tried to catch his breath. "I knew ya had it in you!"

At that, she flushed and Tsunade's frown deepened. "I find no humor in this situation," she snapped. "Because of your actions, we've not only lost one of our own, but you've placed Konoha in danger as well. Whoever has gotten their hands on Kurenai also has the chance of finding out anything she knows. I'm not saying I believe she would tell them anything," the woman amended, noticing the looks she received, "But it is a possibility."

"In my opinion—"all eyes turned to Shino. He had been silent up until this point. "Both Kurenai-sensei and Anko-sama can take care of themselves. I am quite certain that they are both fine."

--x--

The male that came by to pick up Kurenai's dishes was 5' 4'' with tanned, brown skin. He was muscular yet slim, his black hair secured into a spiky ponytail.

"Hey, Kurenai," he greeted. "How is she?"

"Kidomaru," the brunette acknowledged. "She's the same…"

Kidomaru frowned at the sad tone that entered the woman's voice. They—the Sound Four—had grown accustomed to the Jounin's presence; had actually grown to _like _her. "Kimimaro will be here soon to look her over."

"Hey, Kidomaru, you're needed."

They both looked up to see a rather chubby teenager with an orange Mohawk standing in the doorway.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm comin', Jirobo."

He dropped a strong hand onto her shoulder as a comforting gesture, then left.

Jirobo nodded at Kurenai's wave, then followed suit.

True to his team mate's word, Kimimaro entered the house a few minutes later. The corners of the pale-haired male's lips turned up slightly as he nodded his greeting to Kurenai. He wasted no time in kneeling next to Anko and removing the blanket from her body. The rookie Jounin felt an irrational twinge of jealousy as he pulled up her shirt, exposing the network of red lines on her toned abdomen. "They won't scar—she's healing well," he commented. "I cannot tell of any other injuries unless she wakes up, unfortunately."

Anko didn't move save the slow rise and fall of her chest.

"That's good," Kurenai said softly.

Kimimaro hesitated. "If I may…"

"Hmm?"

"You two are lovers, correct?" She felt her cheeks heat and the male chuckled, "I thought so. And so did Tayuya—she was the first to say anything, in fact. The way you act around her… you really love her, don't you?"

_Tayuya. _It seemed she had been right in her judgment of character. "I do."

"Stay with her. If anything is going to heal Anko, it will be your presence."

Again, tears filled crimson eyes—why did that happen so easily as of late? —and the woman smiled slightly, "I will. For as long as it takes."

**Later…**

Kurenai's entire frame sagged, her eyes fluttering as she tried to keep them open.

Sitting in a hard wood chair and catching sleep by means of brief dozing did that to you.

She grimaced and straightened her spine; stretched her arms above her head, joints popping as she did so.

"… I'm scared." The brunette leaned over and rested her face on the white bedspread, the top of her head coming into contact with the sleeping Jounin's forearm. "I feel as though this is all my fault. If I hadn't complained… if I hadn't…"

_/Crimson and chocolate met for all of three seconds before an alarm wailed, indicating that the members of the ANBU were needed._

_Reflexively, Anko pulled her mask from where it had been clipped to her belt and was already half-covering her face. "Kure—"_

"_Just go."/_

She heaved a sigh. "This _is _my fault, huh? I'm sorry, Anko… I just wanted you home_—_with me. Was that such a bad thing to wish for?" Her eyes filled with moisture once again as she raised her head, gently tracing a line down her lover's jaw with her index finger. "I know that what you do puts a strain on you and I should have respected that."

Crimson eyes flickered shut, her body succumbing to sleep.

As the tears trickled down her cheek, she murmured, "I love you, Anko."

_/ … A flash as sunlight reflected off of steel._

"_Anko!"_

_She was running, but the purplette never seemed to grow any closer._

… _Pale flesh marred with red._

"_Anko, please!"_

_The chocolate-toned orbs that flicked over her were empty, her expression contemptuous. "Kurenai?" —a scoff—"I don't need you anymore. Get out of my life."_

_She unsheathed the katana at her hip, the blade pointing directly at Kurenai's heart._

"_Now die!"_

_Kurenai squeezed her eyes shut. 'This isn't real. This isn't real. This isn't!—'/_

_/Silence._

_Crimson eyes opened cautiously: she was in the middle of a sea of green. A breeze gusted by, laden with the scent and warmth of summer. _

'_Where…?'_

_There was a growl, low and threatening and the Jounin looked up._

_A porcelain white wolf was bounding towards her, lip curled to bare sharp canines._

_It leaped…/ _

_/She was falling now; the clear blue sky was like syrup, slowing her descent. _

_The ground was a patchwork of green and brown as it came closer, the wind whistling in her ears._

_The impact didn't hurt, surprisingly enough._

_Then, a vague figure leaned over her broken body._

"_Silly, Kurenai." Anko sneered. "Did you really believe I would catch you?" _

_The impact didn't hurt, surprisingly enough._

_But Anko's words did. /_

Kurenai woke up with a start, but she didn't move. Her back hurt due to the way her spine had been curved while she had slept and the tears that had dried on her cheeks made her face feel stiff.

Someone was stroking her hair.

"Hey…"

She blinked; couldn't believe her ears.

The Jounin sat up; couldn't believe her eyes.

The smile that graced full lips was small, but there despite the wariness in her gaze.

"Er, sorry for bothering you. It looked like you were having a bad dream."

"'Bad' doesn't begin to cover it," she said without thinking.

The silence was deafening.

Then,

"Kurenai, I'm sorry."

At the same time as,

"Anko, I'm sorry."

Two pairs of eyes blinked before the purplette began to laugh, a low, smoky sound. The older woman couldn't help but join her seconds later.

"Kami, this is awkward," Anko said once the laughter had died. "Umm… where exactly are we?"

"You mean you don't remember?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Last thing I remember was fighting a bunch of ninjas."

The older woman's eyebrows rose. "Well, we're in a little village the Sound Four takes residence in. You've been away from our own village for about a month, give or take a few days, so I went to find you. I did, as you can see and… you've been unconscious for about two weeks now."

"TWO WEEKS?!"

Anko bolted upright. Or, rather, she _tried _to. After two weeks of inactivity, her arms refused to support her weight. She fell back with a surprised cry.

Kurenai helped her into an upright position, arranging her pillows so that they supported her.

"Thanks."

"Not at all."

Chocolate-toned orbs met crimson ones. There were so many questions buzzing around the younger Jounin's head—who are the Sound Four? How'd you find me? Why was I out that long?—but the one she asked was, "You came looking for me even after the horrible things I said to you; the way I treated you?"

A nod.

"Kami, Kurenai," —her eyes brimmed with tears— "I'm such an ass… I'm sorry for worrying you like that. I don't deserve—"

"Don't finish that sentence." It came out sharper than she had intended, and Anko flinched. In a gentler tone, she said, "I was so worried that I was going to lose you that…" She shook her head, unable to continue.

"Lose me? C'mon, Kure, I'm stronger than that."

"Lying there without moving you didn't seem to be. Kimimaro said you had lost the will to live. And… and I was afraid that that was my fault."

"Lost the will to—?" Her eyes widened. "OH! I guess he hit the nail on the head." Her chuckle was mirthless. "I was upset. Not with you," she added, seeing her lover's expression. "I was upset with myself. I knew that I had hurt the one person who I cared for most and I felt _awful. _I knew you were just trying to save me from myself back when we got into that argument, but I still argued against it; forced you away. It was stupid of me. I've just been so obsessed with Orochimaru, I didn't see what was going on."

"Ah, you're awake." Both Jounins turned to face the doorway as Kimimaro entered the room. He didn't come any closer; merely watched them impassively. "That's good."

"Anko, this is Kimimaro."

"We've met," the male said, a hint of humor entering his tone. "Kind of."

"You're the guy who saved my ass? Nice to meet ya."

"The pleasure is all mine. I take it you two will be leaving soon?"

At that moment, the pale-haired teen's shirt slipped off of his shoulders (did he _ever_ secure it?), exposing the mark on his chest: a series of what looked like commas—three of them—, set in a circle.

Anko gasped, managing to keep her tongue in check only because Kurenai grasped her hand and squeezed it.

"As soon as she's well enough, we will," the older woman said evenly.

He nodded, and disappeared as silently as he had come.

"Did you see that?!" the younger Jounin hissed. "He's got Orochimaru's Curse Seal!"

"Yes, I know. The Sound Four is loyal to Orochimaru."

Anko's expression was, needless to say, shocked.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. They saved your life and allowed me to stay here comfortably. Isn't that enough to prove they have no ill intentions?"

"… I guess. We _are _leaving soon, right?"

"Whenever you want, love."

_Love._

Dark eyes shining, Anko took Kurenai off guard by pulling her forward, onto her lap. She let out a gasp—partially from pain and surprise at said pain—but that didn't stop her from crushing the older woman against her.

"So I'm forgiven?"

"Of course." The way she uttered the 'ourse' part of 'course' made warm air gust over Anko's neck and the Jounin swallowed, feeling heat curl up in her stomach.

_What a time to feel horny! Then again, we haven't had sex now in how long?_

Kurenai went limp, burying her face in the hollow of the purplette's throat.

This was where she wanted to be most.

She had begun to doze off when Anko shifted slightly. "Umm, Kure? I hate to bother you, but why did I feel pain just now when you leaned into my stomach?"

The older Jounin sat up, straddling her lover's legs—inadvertently causing Anko to swallow hard a second time—so that she could pull up her shirt.

"Damn! What happened to me?" A slender finger traced the length of one of the longer marks and she shuddered. "I-I don't remember getting cut."

Full lips curved upwards into a tiny smirk, though Anko didn't notice, trying as she was to keep her eyes away from Kurenai's.

"Kimimaro said they won't scar. Apparently, you took down two dozen ninjas."

"Two dozen?" She was grinning. "Alright! I kick ass, huh?"

The playful punch she received in the arm wasn't completely unexpected.

* * *

"So they're leaving?" Tayuya asked flatly. "Hmph. Good riddance."

They were all sitting at a table in the largest building in their little village.

Kimimaro shook his head and Kidomaru rolled his eyes.

"_What_?"

"You know you'll miss having her around, Tayuya," Jirobo snorted. "You're always wanting her to teach you Genjutsu and all that."

He never did know when to shut his mouth.

As it was, the red-head bristled. "Did anyone ask you, fat ass?"

"Here we go again," Kidomaru said loudly, making a show of sighing. "I think I'll go meet the 'Anko' chick since she's awake now. Must be something special if Kurenai's in love with her."

Tayuya rounded on him, chestnut eyes glinting as she smirked, "'Must be something', eh? Sounds like you've got a thing for a ninja from the Leaf Village."

"Leaf Village?!"

"Yeah, ya didn't know? Dumbass. Both're from Leaf."

The tanned youth turned on Kimimaro. "You knew this?"

"I did."

"And you brought them here? You do realize that they play for the opposing team, right!?"

Eyes the colour of emeralds focused on the shorter teen. "They've done nothing to us and Orochimaru-sama has not given me any orders to kill them. So I helped them."

"'Soon as he finds them here, he will," Tayuya interjected.

"They'll be leaving soon; no harm has been done."

* * *

Three days later, the two Jounin were finally ready to depart.

Kimimaro blindfolded them after their farewells (Tayuya was absent) and lead them out of the village. After what he deemed a safe distance, he removed the blindfolds.

"Goodbye, Kurenai. Anko. It was nice to meet you both."

"Same here," Anko said, already beginning to walk off. "I hate long goodbyes; see you around!"

Kurenai raised her eyes heaven-ward for a moment, and then smiled at the pale teen. "It was nice meeting you too, Kimimaro. Thanks again."

He nodded.

The lovers had travelled a few yards when the haunting sound of a flute floated over the trees.

Kurenai grinned. "Goodbye, Tayuya."

--x--

"H-Hokage-sama!"

Tsunade hastily hid the bottle of saké she had been drinking under her desk as Hinata crashed into her office, panting.

"What is it _now_?"

She wasn't drunk.

Really.

Just a little… tipsy. Yeah, tipsy.

Hell knew she needed a drink—Shizune hadn't even said a word.

"Kurenai-sensei and Anko-sama are back!"

The blonde nearly fell flat on her face in her haste to exit the room.

Outside, Anko was laughing loudly as Kiba hugged the breath out of his teacher.

Shino didn't come to her assistance this time—as though he was allowing Kiba to do his share of hugging for him.

"Kurenai, Anko!" the Hokage barked, purpose in her stride as she approached. "Where in Hell's name have you been?!"

At her call, the ninjas looked over and several more appeared,—Kakashi and his Team, Guy and his Team and Team 10—the Chuunin immediately dog-piling both females (with the exception of Sasuke and Neji).

Or, rather, they_ tried_ to.

Anko's ANBU training kicked in and she spun into a roundhouse, causing half of the young ninjas to flip backwards to avoid it and the other half to land on their rears.

In the silence that followed, Anko grinned widely and the teachers laughed. Tsunade, more sober than she had been moments before, merely frowned.

"I want you two to tell me everything."

**--End Chapter—**

You can probably tell which characters I favour, huh? –chuckles- Be a dear and leave a review =)


	4. Chapter 4

I certainly didn't plan for this fic to be so damned long; chapter three would have been enormous had I left it as is, so I split it up into two chapters. Here it is: the final chapter. Enjoy…

"_**What is Love?**_

_**Baby, don't hurt me. **_

_**Don't hurt me.**_

_**No more..."**_

_What is Love?—_Haddaway

**--What is Love?--**

"The mission was a success and I'll admit I slipped away when the others were returning because I was upset after my fight with Kurenai," Anko said, giving the aforementioned ninja's hand a squeeze. "Getting laid up wasn't part of the plan. I'm all healed up, though, and that's all you need to know."

It had taken almost an hour (time flies when you're having fun) for Kurenai to explain what had happened—becoming ambiguous when she addressed the Sound Four—and the purplette was ready to go home.

Tsunade arched a thin eyebrow, "Hold it, Mitarashi. You aren't getting off of the hook that easily. Where exactly have you two been?"

"Around," she said airily, gesturing vaguely with the hand that wasn't clutching her lover's. "A little village took care of me and my girl while I couldn't. For that I am grateful and won't divulge in their location simply because I don't think they'd want me to."

The Hokage sighed, but didn't press the matter. "Fine. Once you've rested up, I want you to go to Suna as an ambassador. The Kazekage—"

"Send someone else."

Amber eyes blinked. "What?"

"Send. Someone. Else." Anko was grinning now, enjoying the dumfounded look on her superior's face. "I quit."

She stood, pulling an equally shocked Kurenai to her feet.

They were half-way out the door before Tsunade managed, "You can't just quit!"

The purplette didn't even pause.

"I just did."

--x--

"You're awfully quiet."

Kurenai jumped. "Huh?"

"Exactly."

She was smiling though and the crimson-eyed Jounin smiled back. "Just thinking."

They arrived at the apartment building and Anko blinked at the lack of a door.

"Heh… sorry. I was in a hurry to get you."

Fortunately, Kurenai's apartment was still under her name.

During the walk there, the older Jounin was still oddly silent, and Anko frowned.

_What could be on her mind? She told me to quit the ANBU, right? You'd think she'd be jumping for joy or something…_

She blinked, realizing her lover had already entered her apartment, leaving the door ajar so that she could follow suit.

The lights were off, the air filled with the type of heaviness that collected in the absence of life.

"I'm going to take a shower, Kure," she called, heading for the bedroom. After a month without even _touching _water, to say she felt grungy would be an understatement—even though she had showered _several _times before leaving the Sound Four's little village.

"Alright..." Her tone was distracted.

Switching on the lights, the former ANBU muttered, "Guess I won't be needing this anymore…" From her person she drew her mask; ran her fingers over its smooth surface. Kimimaro had given it to her before un-blindfolding Kurenai and herself.

He was a smart kid: knowing the older woman wouldn't like seeing it.

The purplette sighed. "And my arm guards and shit are gone too."

She turned on the water and stripped quickly, humming tunelessly. Then she strode across the bathroom; the mask was set on the dresser in Kurenai's room to be dealt with at a later time.

* * *

_I can't believe she actually did it._

Kurenai collapsed onto the big olive-green sofa in her living room. Crimson eyes stared up at the ceiling, not really focused on anything.

_Ironic. Last time we were at Anko's and I was the one taking a shower. Then… _Her mind went through a series of scenes that left her flushed slightly. _Who's to say it can't go that way again?_

The Jounin rose.

* * *

Anko sighed happily, her head tilting back so that the warm cascade of water could slide down her front.

_Much better._

It almost felt as though someone was smoothing their hands over her body…

…_Wait a minute._

The woman stiffened instinctively, but the gentle chuckle that resulted caused her to relax.

A nubile body that somehow seemed warmer than the water that rained down on both of them pressed against her back and a pair of slim arms wrapped around her waist as a husky voice said, "I can't believe you did that."

Anko swallowed. "Did what?"

"Quit."

"Yeah, well, you wanted me to and I care about you so—"

She broke off in a moan: the arms that were wrapped around the purplette's waist had shifted; one reached for a bar of soap and a washcloth whilst the other slid upward to cup a firm mound of flesh, tweaking a dusky nipple.

"Kure…" Anko sighed, leaning more fully into her lover's embrace. She titled her head to the side, lips parted slightly, and Kurenai leaned in to kiss her, tongue darting past full lips to explore the purplette's heated oral cavern.

By the time they pulled apart, chocolate-toned orbs were smoldering.

She shifted the hair off of Anko's neck and pressed a kiss there. "Let's get you cleaned, shall we?"

Pulling Anko back so that the water didn't hit her as fully, the older woman rubbed the cloth and soap together until a thick lather covered it; dropped the bar and began rubbing in gentle circles over the Jounin's pale flesh.

Anko made a valiant effort to remain still, but every now and then, Kurenai's fingers would "accidentally" caress her bare flesh—her breasts, her stomach, her hip, her thigh—following the path of the soothing, massaging motion of the washcloth.

The result: a constant tensing and relaxing on the younger woman's part.

She pushed her hips back, wanting to feel more of her lover's flesh, but Kurenai chuckled, pushing her in the opposite direction.

"Patience, koi."

The brunette kneeled, nudging the purplette's thighs apart so that she could press a kiss to either one before soaping them up. Anko had to brace herself with a hand on top of Kurenai's head when the kneeling woman washed her feet, giving the red-eyed Jounin the perfect angle for—

_Patience. _Kurenai reminded herself.

She guided Anko forward so that the spray could rinse her off and, when the woman closed her eyes against the torrent, Kurenai pressed her up against the tiled shower wall.

Her own need smoldered._ Screw patience._

The purplette gasped as the contrast between water and tile caused her a shudder to run the length of her slim frame.

Her 'captor' was laughing, a low sound that caused another shudder—this one having nothing to do with temperature—to wrack her.

"Tell me no and I'll stop."

Anko turned her head to the side, fixing a look that was part incredulous, part hungry on the older woman as best she could.

"Yeah, _right_."

A smile curved full lips and Kurenai reached out to shut off the water as she leaned in to press blazing kisses to the purplette's collarbone.

She braced herself with her arms on either side of the younger woman's waist as she moved south, tongue flicking out to capture droplets of water—the fluid made sweeter by the fact that it was on her lover's skin.

"Ah-moan-Kure…"

Her knees felt like Jell-O and her heartbeat was erratic as Kurenai traced her tongue along the underside of her breast.

An open-mouth kiss to the top of the soft mound resulted in a red-purple mark—a hickey.

"Mine," Kurenai murmured.

Anko didn't miss the fearful, questioning note in her tone and she grinned.

"Yours," she promised.

Was _this _love? The rookie Jounin had never felt such happiness before—especially not from a single word.

Now, she felt like she was flying.

Sharing her lover's smile, Kurenai returned to the woman's lips, claiming them with her own. At the same time, she ran a slim finger along the younger Jounin's lower lips, finding a dampness there that had nothing to do with her recent shower.

Then, she was crouching again, gently biting Anko's side; lapping at her belly button; raking her fingers down the female's toned bottom.

Gripping a thigh with a corresponding hand, Kurenai blew gently on the tangle of plum coloured hair, eliciting another moan, this one louder than the first, from the purplette.

Anko's fingers entwined with dark-brown locks and pressure was applied, gentle despite the strength she possessed.

She was always so gentle…

"_Kurenai._" Her breathing was ragged.

Ooh, full name. It was always "Kure-chan" or some other nickname with this one. She was getting desperate.

"Hmm?"

Kurenai was yanked to her feet, the pain not even registering as Anko grunted an apology and crushed their lips together.

When they parted, she growled, "Can we continue this in bed?"

Now it was the brunette's turn to shudder as her lover took her hand and practically dragged her towards the bed.

The sheets were crimson—big surprise—and very soft as Kurenai landed on her back, Anko already nudging her thighs apart and settling there.

The older Jounin couldn't help but arch her back, needing the friction of something solid against her heated core, but Anko pushed her back down, trailing pinpricks of heat with her mouth across the older woman's collarbone. Quick pecks were lavished around the creamy mound of Kurenai's breast before a pink tongue swirled around a dusky nipple and pulled it into heated dampness.

"_Mmmm._" Anko hummed, nipping gently as her lover cried out.

She didn't stay long; soon, her slim body was slipping down Kurenai's form, stopping when her breasts pressed against a flat stomach.

"Kure?"

Lust-glazed orbs focused as best they could on the purplette. "Hmm?"

"Do you mind if I try something?"

An elegant eyebrow arched at that. "You brought your 'toys' with you?"

Anko flushed. "No! I was just—"

Kurenai laughed gaily, sitting up so that she could press a kiss to Anko's still-damn temple. "Do what you want, Sweetie. I trust you."

To which the younger woman tackled her onto her back and kissed the breath from her lungs.

"I love you, Kurenai."

Did she? Did she really love her? Did Kurenai love her back?

"I..." _C'mon, say it!_

She smiled slightly. "I understand."

Moving off of the brunette, Anko shifted so that she was facing dainty feet before crawling backwards—slowly in case Kurenai had any objections.

She swore her cheeks were glowing. "Is this ok?"

Faced with the musky smell that was exclusively Anko, Kurenai chose to pull the woman's hips down rather than respond, her tongue delving in without hesitation, eliciting a yelp from her lover.

For all of twenty seconds, Anko could do nothing but writhe, dancing on the tip of Kurenai's skilled tongue.

"_Kure!_" she gasped as the aforementioned ninja circled her clit. The sensation urged her to lower her own face and latch onto Kurenai's clit as she drove two fingers into her feminine channel.

Now it was the older woman's turn to vocalize her pleasure; she had to pull away from Anko to do so and the purplette would have smirked had her mouth not been otherwise occupied.

She sped up her pace, determined to bring her lover to climax first; Kurenai immediately accepted the unspoken challenge, using the index finger on each hand to part Anko's feminine lips before thrusting her tongue in as far as she could.

_Damnit. At this rate, I'll be first...! _Kurenai couldn't help but remove her lips again to moan. She could feel the spiral of tension that had formed in her stomach wind tighter and tighter still as Anko's knowing tongue lapped at places within her that made lightning arc along her spine.

An idea hit her, so suddenly that she was shocked she hadn't already thought of it.

Then again, it _had_ been a while since they had had sex.

That and she _was_ kind of occupied…

Using both hands to steady Anko's gyrating hips, Kurenai bit down on the younger woman's clit, just shy of breaking the flesh, and the purplette actually threw back her head and _screamed _as she her orgasm washed over her with shocking intensity.

She was rewarded by a flood of tangy fluid which she lapped up eagerly. _I win; I knew she got off on pain! _Part of Kurenai crowed smugly. The other part cried out at the loss of the hot, wet muscle sliding through her folds.

When her muscles finally unclenched, the purplette rolled off of Kurenai and onto her back, her head resting on the older woman's thigh. Every ragged inhale drew the tantalizing scent of the brunette's arousal into her nostrils. After a full thirty seconds of listening to her lover's laboured breathing, Kurenai's eyebrows drew together. "Anko, are you ok? I didn't hurt you, did I—"

Her worry was brought to an abrupt end as two of the younger Jounin flipped—settling between her legs—and slim fingers filled her again. A third was added, then a fourth and Kurenai's spine arched at the feeling of being stretched; of being filled.

When a thumb came up to press into her clit, stars danced before crimson eyes.

When a tongue pressed hotly against her sphincter—a sensation that was new and strange, but not unwelcome—her eyes snapped shut.

When those questing fingers slammed into her G-spot, sensory overload kicked in and the rookie Jounin's world went black.

…

Someone was stroking her hair again.

Kurenai tried to move, but decided her limbs were far too heavy to bother.

"Look who's up," a gentle voice cooed; a kiss was pressed to her forehead.

Prying her eyes open, the older woman realized Anko was spooned up behind her, the warm, cushiony press of her lover's body against her back causing her to whimper.

There was soft laughter. "I think you've had enough, koi. Rest a while."

It took immense will power, but Kurenai flipped over, burying her face in the hollow of Anko's throat. "How long have I been out?"

"A minute or two."—Another kiss, this one to the top of her head—"You alright?"

"_Mhmm. _Better than 'alright'. That was... wow. Thank you."

"That's good and, you're very welcome. I'd be happy to do it again."

They rested in silence for a while, sleep tugging at Kurenai's eyelids.

She shifted, trying to wake up her brain and Anko hugged her closer. "Don't ever leave me again, ok?"

A gentle squeeze. "I promise."

Those two words held more meaning than any others she could have possibly uttered at that moment and the older Jounin sank into unconsciousness, her mind and heart at ease.

* * *

Kurenai awoke with a start.

Sitting up, she realized she was alone; her heart skipped a beat as her mind immediately started supplying worst-case scenarios.

A flash of white caught her eye: the curtains that covered the doors that lead to the balcony were dancing in the gentle breeze.

… _Breeze?_

The brunette rose, padded over to the doorway and pushed the cloth aside, stepping out into the twilight air; a robe-clad Anko half-turned to look at her.

She shivered—the contrast between the temperature inside and the temperature outside reminding her of her nakedness. "Why are you out here?"

"Just thinking." There was pain in chocolate-toned orbs.

Kurenai's concern must have shown on her face because the younger woman smiled slightly. "Nothing to worry about, Kure, I swear. I just needed a moment alone; I'll come back to bed soon."

The older Jounin nodded and turned to go back inside—

"I love you."

—She smiled warmly, saying, "I love you too" before disappearing.

Anko turned her attention back to Konoha as she leaned forward, bracing herself against the stone railing with her forearms.

All was silent, every window was dark.

_So peaceful... I love this place._

She tilted her head, seeing the silhouette of the bed and her lover through the thin lace curtains.

_And Kurenai… She makes me feel warm and safe—like I can do anything._

Dark eyes flicked back to the city; the woman's lungs filling with air, then emptying their contents in a sigh.

She grinned crookedly. _What more reason do I need to do my best to stick around?_

She would miss the thrill that came from the dangerous missions ANBU were given, but some things were more important.

_What is love?_

A few days ago, her answer would have been vague, incomplete. Now…

Now she had overcome the difficulty she had faced and was more than ready to settle down with the crimson-eyed seductress that had worked her way into her heart so long as she would have her.

Even if that meant giving up her dreams of vengeance.

Even if that meant giving up _everything_.

_This is love._

As Anko turned to head back inside, she released her grip on the ovular porcelain object in her hand.

There was a _'chink!' _as the wolf mask fell three stories and shattered into a million shards of white.

--**Fin--**

-phew- As you might have noticed, I love sappy endings like this one =D I'm actually quite satisfied with this one though still surprised at its popularity o.O Of course, the length is amazing considering my original plan, but hey, that's how things work.

Thanks go to **Benevolence** who beta'd this and to my dear, dear reviewers. I hope you look forward to whatever idea my Muse deems worthy of seeing the light of day next!

—**Distraction**


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